Roots, Tentacles and Words: The Representation of Animals and the Environment in the Contemporary Works of N. Scott Momaday and Linda Hogan

Abstract

Scholars claim that the current environmental crisis is of anthropogenic origin: caused by humans. However, it is important to distinguish between the harm that western civilizations and the capitalist system has caused, in contrast to the lifestyle that Native American tribes, for instance, have as members of the ecosystem. Postcolonial peoples are not only not responsible for the various damages, but they are also particularly vulnerable to the consequences of climate change and globalization. The effects damage not only their land, but also their culture and identity, for which animals and the environment are crucial elements. Considering this context, this dissertation aims to understand how the current environmental crisis affects Native American culture and identity, and how these oppressed worlds that are interconnected are reflected in literature. To do so, contemporary literary works by N. Scott Momaday and Linda Hogan will be closely analyzed: the novels People of the Whale and Power, and the collections of stories and poetry In the Bear’s House and Earth Keeper: Reflections on the American Land. Attempting to understand the multiple implications of these works, an interdisciplinary approach will be applied, combining Native American studies, ecocriticism and postcolonial theories into a more inclusive postcolonial ecocriticism. Moreover, a general contextualization of the history and culture of Native American tribes in the US will be made, as well as the influence that western colonialism has on them and their consequent oppression and detachment from nature. Along the research, animal metaphors and the representation of the environment will be analyzed. Relevant topics such as hunting and ancient beliefs will be also pondered on in the context of the loss of Native American identity and culture. Finally, a potential link between the environmental and Native American oppression will be explored.